<$Monday, May 26, 2008$>
Weekly Geeks #5
 From Dewey's post:
 Another great topic this week! I have been thinking my answer for this and finally decided on this one - Manga (since I think this is another form of storytelling, besides books and movies that is.)I am sure most of you must be surprised that I chose this topic because I hardly mention them on my blog as I mostly dedicate it to the books I read and my ramblings. The truth is, I read manga as early as I was in Primary School - that was also the time when I started getting hooked to Nancy Drew and Enid Blyton's books. Manga comes in later after that, and it was only by chance when I stumbled upon them when I visited my elder cousin's house one day. (She is the only daughter of my mother's elder sister, and she is three years my senior.) I remember I really looked up to her at that time, and although I was envious that she got to buy all the things she wanted (her family is considered above average class), I was quite satisfied with borrowing books from my neighbour and the school library. She introduced manga to me, although she dislikes reading books. And I understand why manga seems appealing because you don't have to concentrate on the texts and imagine the story yourself, you get the story just by looking at those little columns filled with sketches. Besides, the sketches are just brilliant, and I often find myself oohing and aahing over the artists' works. If it takes time for a writer to write a book, I can not imagine how much time it would take for the artist to complete his/her manga especially if they are in several copies! (The most I had read comes in a set of 23 volumes.)  I was hooked to them immediately after she lent a few to me, although my mother thought she preferred that I only read books because she felt I could learn more new words through reading them. I think her other reason was that there are romance themes in those mangas and she didn't want me to be influenced by the characters at that age, although there were nothing explicit in them except some kissing scenes. I continued reading them all the way to high school (although I didn't borrow from her anymore and rented them with my allowances), and it was only that I had my first job that I started buying and collecting them. Now I have a small shelf dedicated to my manga, although they still stood pale in comparison with my books collection. And I am quite choosy when it comes to manga because I only read romance and fantasy themes in them, unlike the books which I can read any genre that sparks my interest. I don't understand why. Although most of these manga are translated from Japanese into Chinese, I am glad that some of them are also translated in English language.   Labels: Weekly Geeks |
<$Friday, May 23, 2008$>
Friday Fill-Ins
Questions courtesy of Michelle this week, thanks! I'd love to feature your questions, if you'd like to leave some for future use please feel free! This is my very first attempt! 1. On my laziest day I like to do nothing but read and relax! 2. Clearing all my book piles (be it read or unread and especially those kept in the storeroom) makes me feel like I'm being productive. 3. I love little gestures and big hearts. 4. This summer I want to go to the cinemas and catch some movies with my husband since we haven't been to one for quite some time. 5. Reading and curiosity made me start my blog. 6. Red Washington apples and orange cantaloupes are two of my favourite fruits. 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to spending time with my daughter and catch up with some of my reading, tomorrow my plans include doing household chores and watch Barney videos with my daughter and Sunday, I want to rest and relax! Labels: Friday Fill-Ins, Meme |
Vanishing Acts
 ISBN-13: 9780743454551 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Trade Published: November 2005 448pp Well, it seems like lately I have been reading books that are thought-provoking or stories with a sad premise, isn't it? As some of you may tell, my reading mood varies. At times, I can read the same genre in a row, or other times I just switch from one genre to another. And then, there are also times that I pick up a book just because I am attracted to its cover. I know I am not a consistent reader when this is concerned, but I try not to limit myself to read a book just because I feel there is a need to (unless you are talking about reading challenges here, and I am running way out of time!). But still, reading pleasure always comes first. Oh well, I think I have enough of my ramblings and it is time to get on with this review. Delia Hopkins has been living with her father since she was four. Now at 32, she works with law enforcement agencies to help them find missing people, together with Greta, her beloved search-and-rescue bloodhound. Although she feels the satisfaction of every successful missions, it gives her a loss feeling because she knows that she would not be able to find her mother, no matter how hard she try for she had died in a car accident. But she is going to put this sad memories behind her as she is happy with her four-year-old daughter, Sophia, and she has a fiancé, Eric, who is her childhood friend (who is also Sophia's father) until one day, a cop knocks on her door and have her father arrested for kidnapping. And Delia happens to be the child he had stolen. Shocked and feeling betrayed, Delia couldn't understand what made her father commit the act but later she learns that he did it out of love, though it seems he had done it in an inappropriate (and not to mention, illegal) way. He feels Elise, Delia's mother, is incapable of taking care of Delia since she has a drinking problem, nor do he trusts Victor, her lover with Delia. He and Elise are already divorced when he took Delia with him. Delia later meets her mother, and found out she indeed had a drinking problem. Once again, she feels betrayed that she is misled that her mother is the victim. At this time, her father has already been extradicted to Arizona where he committed the 'crime'; and Eric, being an attorney agrees to take on the case, but he is going to face a big challenge as not only he will get tossed off the case or disbarred if he tells Delia what he has learnt, but the prosecutor is a pregnant lady who believes that kidnapping is a serious offense no matter whatever the circumstances is. And then, there is Fitz, who is also childhood friend of Delia and Eric and he has liked her since then. He is a writer with the New Hampshire Gazette and he is asked to cover this story. All of these add complexity and climax to the story. There are various POVs throughout the book, as readers will get a glimpse inside each character's world and read their inner thoughts. The hearing in court is the scene which I most look forward to, as I was very eager to find out the outcome. While reading and anticipating the tension at the same time, I have also learnt that sometimes, things are not always seem to be what you think. Jodi Picoult has the ability of merging moral issues into her fictions and makes them seem real, and this is another reason why I enjoy reading her books, besides the emotional and thought-provoking parts. I think this story will stay in my mind for quite some time. Labels: 4.5 stars, Book Review, Fiction |
<$Thursday, May 22, 2008$>
Books Vs Movies
Suggested by: Superfastreader: Books and films both tell stories, but what we want from a book can be different from what we want from a movie. Is this true for you? If so, what’s the difference between a book and a movie? I do not mind having my favourite books made into movies. In fact, I should be thrilled because that shows how successful and popular these books are to be made into movies! But then, what we read from the books might differ from the movies, due to some unnecessary (mundane) scenes and the time constraint. I do understand these issues from the film-makers' point of views, however it annoys me when they also cut off some scenes which I feel are relevant to the plots. There were a few times I felt some movies were a bit rushed, or worse, leaving me confused when one scene did not link with the other. So, my view is, books and movies do differ from each other. I enjoy the flow of the story in books, as it slowly unfold before my eyes. But then again, I do enjoy watching the movies so I can visualize the characters through the artistes performance and watch their roles being played on screen. I will be most happy if the movies will follow as closely as the books, so it is like seeing my favourite books coming to life. Labels: Booking Through Thursday, Meme |
<$Tuesday, May 20, 2008$>
Which Austen Heroine Are You?
"You are Elinor Dashwood of Sense & Sensibility! You are practical, circumspect, and discreet. Though you are tremendously sensible and allow your head to rule, you have a deep, emotional side that few people often see." I have yet to read Sense & Sensibility, although I have it in my TBR pile. Now Elinor Dashwood had me intrigued! Labels: About Me |
One True Thing
 ISBN-13: 9780812976182 Publisher: Random House Publishing Group Published: August 2006 320pp I have not read anything by Anna Quindlen, but this book has caught my attention while I was browsing at a bookstore one day. I suppose it is the sad premise of the story, and the relationship between a sick mother and her daughter and the journey they chose to take that intrigued me. The book begins with the narrator, a 24-year-old Ellen Gulden winding up in jail for killing her mother. It is only when this prologue ends that we get to read the real story of Ellen, and how this story all begins. With a good career as a journalist in a popular magazine, a boyfriend and a bright future ahead of her, Ellen couldn't have asked for more. But when her father requested her to move back home one day and take care of her mother who is diagnosed with cancer, she is completely unprepared for it. It is not only she has nothing to fall back on once she is home, but she has never had a strong relationship with her family anyway. In the end, she quitted her job and went home to care for her mother, because she thinks it is the right thing to do. Her mother, Kate, on the other hand isn't about to let anyone thinks of her being a useless invalid. There is an extent that she refuses to let herself be seated in a wheelchair when she is too weak to move, but had to succumb to it in the end as her condition deteriorates day by day and morphine is prescribed to relieve her pain by Dr. Cohn, the oncologist whom she is seeing. Ironically, it is also the same drug which is believed to have killed her (an overdose) and Ellen is charged for murdering her mother since she is the last one to be seen with her, and then again there is an essay which she has written and won when she was seventeen, about a veterinarian putting a dog to sleep to end its suffering. They think this coincides with Kate's death and she is linked to it but she did not tell them that there was a brief moment her father has spent time with her mother, or a silent plea from her mother to end her life because she just couldn't see herself dying slowly. One True Thing is a beautiful, well-written story that tells a relationship and the journey between a mother and daughter. In this story, I read about Kate's determination and her desire to bond with Ellen, and how one scene touches me when Kate chose to re-read some books with Ellen so that they have something to talk about, though Ellen is unaware of it. I suppose it takes all these little gestures to strengthen their bond, as Ellen slowly began to fathom the meaning of love. But in the end she has a difficult choice to make, for she either has to plead guilty for an act she did not commit, or to divulge the name of the person whom is believed to have painfully committed as an act of love. This book will make you think about life and the relationship between mothers and daughters. Labels: 4.5 stars, Book Review, Fiction, TBR Challenge 2008 |
random word association
I say: you think Labels: Meme, Randomness |
<$Sunday, May 18, 2008$>
Weekly Geeks #4
 This week's Weekly Geeks theme: Choose a political or social issue that matters to you. Find several books addressing that issue; they don’t have to books you’ve read, just books you might like to read. Using images (of the book covers or whatever you feel illustrates your topic) present these books in your blog. I rarely read books with a political or social issue, but this week WG has given me an opportunity to explore such books and though I won't say I will look out for these books sooner, but they are definitely books that have interest me and that I might want to read in the near future: "Based on 25 years of research by NASA, this guide shows how common houseplants can combat sick building syndrome and cleanse the home or office of common pollutants."  "Roy Spencer shows that fears about global warming are vastly exaggerated and are driven by politics, not truth. This ground-breaking book combines impeccable scientific authority with great wit to expose the hysteria surrounding the myths of global warming and climate change."  Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World around Them"Shocked by the teenage violence she witnessed during the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, Erin Gruwell became a teacher at a high school rampant with hostility and racial intolerance. For many of these students–whose ranks included substance abusers, gang members, the homeless, and victims of abuse–Gruwell was the first person to treat them with dignity, to believe in their potential and help them see it themselves. Soon, their loyalty towards their teacher and burning enthusiasm to help end violence and intolerance became a force of its own."  "Prefaced by a page of suggestions for parents and teachers using the book, The Right Touch deals with the subject of preventing child sex abuse. The story features a mother who chats with her children following a tickling session before bedtime. She continues to talk about proper and improper touching of children by adults, and gives several examples. There is discussion on the parts of the anatomy where improper touching may occur. Strategies for protecting oneself are explored."  Where The Heart Is"An Oprah Book Club selection. Letts's debut novel concerns a pregnant teenage girl who finds a new life among the quirky inhabitants of a small town in Oklahoma." I am sure there are other relevant books that I wish to explore further, but for the moment these will have to do. I hope everyone has a great weekend! Labels: Weekly Geeks |
<$Friday, May 16, 2008$>
The Choice
 ISBN-13: 9780446698337 Publisher: Grand Central Publishing Published: April 2008 304pp I always look forward to Nicholas Sparks new releases. Though some of his books are tearjerkers and might not have a happy ending, I do enjoy them and find them meaningful and thought-provoking. Most of the times, his stories strike a chord in my heart even though they are fictional. His stories often reflect the reality of life and how the difficult situations always made the characters into better persons which I find inspiring. It is no wonder his books made it to the bestselling list. Set in a small town in North Carolina, The Choice is a beautiful love story of Travis Parker and Gabby Holland. Travis first meeting with Gabby is not a pleasant one. Gabby, whose job is a physician assistant, thinks Travis is a good-for-nothing and organizes too many barbecues parties outside his house. Worse still, she thinks Moby, his boxer impregnates her collie, Molly and she has made up her mind to confront him because she feels she has had enough of his inconsiderate behaviour. On the other end, Travis is intrigued by his new neighbour who moves next to his place, and despite his friendly attempt towards her, she seems to give him a cold shoulder. And when Gabby accused his dog for impregnating her dog, he tried to explain things to her but she refused to give him the chance to talk, leaving him bewildered and amused. Their second encounter took place in a veterinary clinic when Gabby decided to have Molly examined, and this time Travis is the vet. Gabby asked him why he didn't tell her about his position when she confronted him that day, he told her that she didn't give him a chance to explain anyway. And after the examination, it turned out that Moby wasn't the one responsible for Molly's pregnancy at all, and Gabby felt bad. She thought he would be angry at her but to her surprise, he didn't seem to mind after all. It was through this incident that she began to see him in a new light. Although they are slowly attracted to each other, Travis isn't sure if this relationship works for him because not only he enjoys his single lifestyle, but he thought his previous relationships with women are a failure. And Gabby isn't sure of Travis either as she has a long-term relationship with her boyfriend although Kevin didn't show any sign of commitment to marriage. It is at this point that there is a turn for Gabby and Travis, as both couldn't fight the attraction off of each other anymore. I think Mr. Sparks had done a great job here writing about their dilemmas and how they had came to accept each other in the end. In the later part of the story, Gabby and Travis are married and had two young daughters. Gabby and Travis met in a car accident on a windy, rainy night. Travis blamed it on his carelessness, but it was too late, as it resulted Gabby in a state of coma. And Travis had to make a tough choice in the whole of his life. Although the plot in The Choice is not new, I still find it a good and meaningful read. There are questions that one will often ask while reading this: What would happen if Travis had handled the situation differently? Was it he or Gabby to blame? What would happen if he took the other choice? et cetera. But the top of all is, how far would you go to keep the hope of love alive? I also love this part where it described marriage perfectly: Marriage, each of them realized intuitively, was about compromise and forgiveness. It was about balance, where one person complemented the other. This is an emotionally charged book which I find it worth reading, especially towards the end. ________________________________________________ Note: I have decided to temporarily give up reading Succubus in the City by Nina Harper. I just couldn't get sucked into the story, despite it has an interesting premise and the protagonist is a sexy succubus who works with a she-demon, Satan. I liked the part where the hero is a mortal man, but regrettably I just couldn't find myself reading more, and partly I blame it on my reading mood. I have picked up the book at a wrong time. Nevertheless, I hope I will enjoy it at a later date although I have no idea when I will pick this up again. Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Fiction, The Pub 2008 Challenge |
<$Thursday, May 15, 2008$>
Manual Labor Redux
Following up last week’s question about reading writing/grammar guides, this week, we’re expanding the question….
Well, I don't really like reading products manuals. I mean, I will skim through them in case they have any special instructions or anything, but I just don't read them for pleasure or even to kill time. If I'm stuck with the problem, I will usually approach my husband first before referring to the manual. It's faster that way, haha. (Unless he is clueless and he will be the one who will refer to them instead of yours truly.) But when it comes to self-improvement books, then that is a different matter to me. I enjoy reading them, depending on the subjects and how much I find them informative and/or useful. Another scenario is, if I'm stuck with a computer or internet problem, I will google it. I don't know why, but I find searching answers online is so much easier than looking them up in manuals, partly because the web is so wide and you can just find anything there with only a click of your mouse. Labels: Booking Through Thursday, Meme |