Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about reading/blogging during the holidays…

How does your reading (or your blogging) fare in the holiday months? Do you read more or less? Do you have to actively make time to read?

On an average, I read about 6 books per month (which to me is a small amount considering most of my blogger friends read about 10 books or more given the same time, but hey I am not complaining. After all, everyone of us has different reading schedules and as long as we find some time to read, it is all good, isn't it?).

Anyway, I do notice I have not been reading much beginning end November because of the holiday season where this time I will start to do a little shopping and getting ready to send off all the greeting cards. And then of course there is always my reading mood that has control over what books I should read, as well.

What about you?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia from The Printed Page.

I received the following books last week:

1) Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl (bought from The Book Depository) Don't you love the cover?

2) Dying Scream by Mary Burton (review copy)

I love beautiful, and interesting, cover art so every Wednesday I post my 'Cover Attraction' for the week along with a synopsis of the book. Everyone is welcome to stop by and, if they'd like, post a link to their favorite weekly book cover.

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Synopsis (From B&N):

Nimira is a foreign music-hall girl forced to dance for mere pennies. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to sing with a piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new and better life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets are beginning to stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumors swirl about ghosts, a madwoman roaming the halls, and Parry's involvement with a league of sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. Then Nimira discovers the spirit of a fairy gentleman named Erris is trapped inside the clockwork automaton, waiting for someone to break his curse. The two fall into a love that seems hopeless, and breaking the curse becomes a race against time, as not just their love, but the fate of the entire magical world may be in peril.

ISBN-13: 9789861031446
Publisher: 东立出版社有限公司
Published: April 2009


I must have bitten by a manga bug lately, because this is the third manga book I read in a week (I had finished reading Momoko Typhoon #2 but have yet to draft a review). Anyway, I found this series while browsing through the manga section and I was attracted by the cover art and the blurb. I took the risk and bought the series because I have not read anything by this artist (and the books are sealed with plastic covers to prevent anyone from reading). There were times I was misled by the cover illustrations but funnily enough I just had the feeling that I might enjoy this series and my instinct was right because I really enjoyed reading this book!

Ren Cai Zi (the names are translated from the Chinese since I do not know the actual Japanese names of all the characters) is a high school student and has never fallen in love before though childhood friend, Da Shu fancies her but she does not know his feelings towards her.

However, an incident gave her the opportunity to meet Lian, the most good-looking and popular boy in school. What he did thereafter greatly touches her heart and from that day onwards, she knew she has fallen in love with him. When Da Shu has finally muster his courage to confess his feelings towards her, Ren Cai Zi told him she could not accept his love because she has fallen in love with somebody. Even when she later found out that Lian already has a girlfriend, her feelings towards him did not waver and she told herself that she is satisfied admiring him from afar and that they are friends.

A girl friend of Ren Cai Zi, Xiao Bai He took this opportunity to confess her love towards Da Shu and a complex love story begins this first installment of Strobe Edge.

What can I say? I was so drawn into the story (not to mention the wonderful illustrations as well) that I picked up the second installment and read it right after I had finished reading this book. I am currently reading the fourth installment and I have to say the story is getting more complex and intense than I have first anticipated. Needless to say, I have neglected the other books which I am also reading and this made me feel bad. To break free of my guilty conscience, I brought a novel instead of the manga with me to work today so hopefully I will be able to catch up on my reading and read a few more chapters.

So what are you currently reading?

Note: There is no Teaser Tuesdays post today since I am still reading the same book as of last week.

Now, the idea is to only choose books that were published in 2009, regardless of what country you live in. If a book was released in the US in 2008, but released in your country in 2009, that's okay. I know there is still a month in a half left of 2009, but if you know there is a book coming out between now and Dec. 31st, then it’s still eligible.

After reading some of the top 10 lists from my fellow bookbloggers, I know I have to do this although I find it tough to name only the top ten because this year has been a good reading year for me so far (in terms of quality instead of quantity). Nevertheless, I shall abide by the rules and below is my top 10 books after much consideration.

The Ghost Writer by John Harwood (Thriller)
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (Thriller)
Heartsick by Chelsea Cain (Crime Thriller)
Ritual by Mo Hayder (Crime Thriller)
Stolen by Lucy Christopher (Young Adult, Fiction)
Looking for Alaska by John Green (Young Adult, Fiction)
Fallen Skies by Philippa Gregory (Fiction)
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (Young Adult, Fantasy)
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (Fiction)
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister (Fiction)

As there is still about a month left to go before the end of the year, I am hoping to find some more good books to read and add to my favourites list.

So, what are your top 10 books this year? What books would you recommend? Come on, do share!

I love beautiful, and interesting, cover art so every Wednesday I post my 'Cover Attraction' for the week along with a synopsis of the book. Everyone is welcome to stop by and, if they'd like, post a link to their favorite weekly book cover.

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Synopsis (From B&N):

Madison Stanton doesn't know where she is or how she got there. But she does know this - she is dead. And alone in a vast, dark space. The only company Maddy has in this place are luminescent objects that turn out to be all the things she lost while she was alive. And soon she discovers that, with these artifacts, she can reexperience - and even change - moments from her life.

Her first kiss.

A trip to Disney World.

Her sister's wedding.

A disastrous sleepover.

In reliving these moments, Maddy learns illuminating and frightening truths about her life - and death.

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

My teaser for today:

We are not as we seem. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the words and the distant voice on the telephone. After Jack and I had spent half a year eradicating the ghosts that had haunted my new home, I had hoped that my days of ghost hunting were over.

(Pg 18, The Girl on Legare Street by Karen White)

I still have about 4 more chapters to go with The House on Tradd Street and I am enjoying reading it. I think I might finish the book today. Then, I will start reading The Girl on Legare Street, which I am sure will be another enjoyable read.

What are you reading?

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about holiday season…

With the holiday season now upon us, have you left any hint – subtle or otherwise – for books family and friends might buy you for Christmas? Do you like to receive books, or do you prefer certificates so you can choose your own?

Most of my friends and my family knew of my passion for books and reading, so I don't think there is a need to drop any hint or otherwise. Moreover, I feel embarrassed and uncomfortable if I would ask someone to buy something for me, and after all it is the person's thought and gesture that count for everything.

It does not matter if I receive books or certificates because both are equally wonderful gifts in my opinion.

What about you?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia from The Printed Page.

I received one book (via BookMooch) last week:

1) Zel by Donna Jo Napoli

So what books came into your house last week?

I have to admit I took a longer time to read this book, and the main reason being I got sidetracked by other books (i.e. books that need to be reviewed), or the fact that I had watched the film adaptation of this book a couple of times and I don't feel the rush to get into this book (boy, I was so wrong! How many times have I heard that saying about the books are always better?! Though I think the movie is pretty well done too). Anyway, it was a delight re-reading this book. So without further ado, here is my self-interview review of the book.

Q: Which is your favourite and least favourite scene? Why?
A: Where shall I start? There are so many things happening in this book and once again, I am in awe of the wizarding world that J.K. Rowling created. Right from the beginning, I knew I would be in for a great reading journey the moment I read Harry received the mails/gifts from his friends and that he would be out of the Dursleys family soon the moment he starts his third year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Note: Please feel free to ask me any questions for my next review of the fourth installment, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on this post.

Suggested by JM:

“Life is too short to read bad books.” I’d always heard that, but I still read books through until the end no matter how bad they were because I had this sense of obligation.

That is, until this week when I tried (really tried) to read a book that is utterly boring and unrealistic. I had to stop reading.

Do you read everything all the way through or do you feel life really is too short to read bad books?

I used to read books through until the end, but that was way before when my TBR pile only consisted of 10 books or lesser. That said, it does not mean I will totally give up on a book if the story does not interest me. I will still give it a chance by reading a few more chapters. Another option is I will skim through the book if I want to find out what happened towards the end, or if I still care for the characters. If the story gets too boring and seems to be getting to nowhere, I will then give it up.

What about you?

I love beautiful, and interesting, cover art so every Wednesday I post my 'Cover Attraction' for the week along with a synopsis of the book. Everyone is welcome to stop by and, if they'd like, post a link to their favorite weekly book cover.

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I found two covers for Angels of Destruction by Keith Donohue. Which one do you prefer?

Synopsis (From B&N):

From a talented new author comes a poignant and haunting novel of creation and desire, passion and madness, art and love.

Margaret Quinn lives alone, quietly mourning the disappearance of her only child, who fled ten years earlier to join a radical student group known as the Angels of Destruction.

On a cold winter’s night, a nine-year-old girl arrives on Margaret’s doorstep, claiming to be an orphan with no place to go. This child beguiles Margaret, and together they hatch a plan to pass her off as her newly found granddaughter, Norah Quinn.

Their conspiracy is made vulnerable by Norah’s magical revelations to the children of the town, and by a lone figure shadowing the girl, who threatens to reveal the child’s true identity and purpose. Who are these strangers really? And what is their connection to the past, the Angels, and Margaret’s long-missing daughter?

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

My teaser for today:

Taking a deep breath, I said, "Yes. I saw her. But I don't think it's because she approves of me. I . . . seem to see things that aren't there on a kind of regular basis."

(Pg 10, The House on Tradd Street by Karen White)

I love beautiful, and interesting, cover art so every Wednesday I post my 'Cover Attraction' for the week along with a synopsis of the book. Everyone is welcome to stop by and, if they'd like, post a link to their favorite weekly book cover.

* * * * *

Sunflowers by Sheramy Bundrick
ISBN-13: 9780061765278
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: October 2009

Synopsis (From B&N):

"I'd heard about him but had never seen him, the foreigner with the funny name who wandered the countryside painting pictures."

From a talented new author comes a poignant and haunting novel of creation and desire, passion and madness, art and love.

A young prostitute seeking temporary refuge from the brothel, Rachel awakens in a beautiful garden in Arles to discover she is being sketched by a red-haired man in a yellow straw hat. This is no ordinary artist but the eccentric painter Vincent van Gogh—and their meeting marks the beginning of a remarkable relationship. He arrives at their first assignation at No. 1, Rue du Bout d'Arles, with a bouquet of wildflowers and a request to paint her—and before long, a deep, intense attachment grows between Rachel and the gifted, tormented soul.

But the sanctuary Rachel seeks from her own troubled past cannot be found here, for demons war within Vincent's heart and mind. And one shocking act will expose the harsh, inescapable truth about the artist she has grown to love more than life.

ISBN-13: 4711552447392
Publisher: 长鸿出版社股份有限公司
Published: October 2009
217 pgs



I participated in Rhinoa's Manga Challenge some time ago but I have yet to read and review any manga so I thought I would read/review at least one before the end of the year.

I chose Momoka Typhoon (by Fujita Kazuko) because I enjoyed watching the first two episodes of Momo Love, a Taiwanese drama based on this manga series and I want to read them aside from watching the drama as well. Anyway, this is a story about Tian Zhong Tao Hua (a Chinese girl's name translated from the Japanese) and her relationship with her five elder brothers and a guy whom she loves.

Being the only girl in the family, she is most well loved and is always the center of attention in the Tian Zhong family. This is no surprise considering their parents wanted a girl and as for the rest of the siblings, they felt the need and responsibility to protect her because they love her so much. Though Tao Hua appreciates her brothers' love, she feels she has no control over her freedom because whatever she does she is being scrutinized.

Yu Yi, being the youngest brother in the family is often being bullied by the other brothers and they have assigned him to spy on her. Tao Hua and Yu Yi share the closest bond and though she feels sorry for him, there is nothing much she could do about it.

When Tao Hua started to fall in love with Shi Lang, who is also a friend of Yu Yi, the rest of the siblings began to plot ways to split them. Torn in between the older brothers and Tao Hua, Yu Yi has never felt so helpless in his life but he feels there should be a resolution to all these so he lied to Tao Hua that Shi Lang already has a girlfriend, hoping that this news would shatter Tao Hua's dreams so that she would forget about him. Unfortunately, things do not go as anticipated as Tao Hua has other plans and the rest of the siblings vowed they would not leave this matter rest.

I have to say I enjoyed reading the manga more than the drama, not that the latter is not nicely done, it does and it has my favourite actor in it (Jiro Wang). I think the main issue lies with the different culture and certain scenes in the drama have to change to suit the chinese audience. I have nothing against this and I feel both have succeeded in creating a wonderful comedy. However, I am disappointed with the cast of the role of the third and the fourth brother because they are not featured as twins as originally seen in the manga but I suppose that is not a big issue since I understand it could be difficult to find artistes who are twins (I have thought of two actors who are twins but I am not telling).

(Image taken from Asianpopcorn.com)

Note: There will be no Teaser Tuesdays today since I am still reading Fishing for Bacon by Michael Davie and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. I cannot promise that I will finish them by this week but I will definitely try!

Book Bloggers Holiday Swap is here once again! For those who are not aware of what this is, it is an annual Secret Santa gift exchange between book bloggers and BBHS is in its third year now!

Please visit the link for more details (and registration) and please note you have until November 12th to do so! So what are you waiting for? I know you want to participate!

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about social reading…

How much of your reading do you share with others (outside of blogging?) Do you belong to a book or library club? Do you trade books with friends? Do you tell others what you’re reading?

I don't have a lot of friends who read, or at least they do not read as many books like the way that I do but still I would suggest a few titles which I really loved to a few of them (whom I know will read sometimes) and they would read the books if they have piqued their interest (or curiosity).

I don't belong to a book or library club and honestly speaking, I don't think I will have the time and energy to meet at a place to discuss about books after work (though I would love to!) and my weekends are limited to my family (so that's one reason why I love this book blogging community so much!).

I rarely trade books with friends (that is because they seldom own the books) but I will put the books on to my BookMooch inventory if I have no intention of reading them again.

What about you?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia from The Printed Page.

I received the following books last week (bought from The Book Depository except #4):

1) Sing Them Home by Stephanie Kallos

2) We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

3) Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts (Bride Quartet Series #2)

4) The Girl on Legare Street by Karen White (review copy)