Melody's Reading Corner: January 2024

Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley

Melody

Penguin Books | 8 August 2023 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

57-year-old Iona Iverson works as a magazine therapist and although she enjoys her job, she feels she's racing against time as well as the threat of today's social trends as her (younger) editor feels that they need to concentrate more on digital offering and pull in a younger audience. These days, she enjoys her time more on the train commute to and from work since they're reassuringly predictable and what's more, she could people-watch.

Due to her daily commute routine from Hampton Court to Waterloo Station, Iona sees the same people and she even give some of them a nickname, such as Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader, Impossibly-Pretty-Bookworm and Terribly-Lonely-Teenager. Likewise, those commuters who recognise Iona give her a few nicknames too, like Crazy Dog Woman (because she's often seen accompanied by her dog, Lulu) or Magic Handbag Lady and even The Woman on the Train. Then one morning, Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader chokes on a grape and this single event leads to a chain reaction as an eclectic group of people, who sees one another everyday but knows nothing about anyone, begins to connect and gradually become friends as the days go by.

Aside from Iona's narrative, there are four other characters who play a part in Iona's life. They are: Piers, who is Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader. Sanjay, an Indian nurse who saved Piers and a kind-hearted man in general. Emma, who is Sanjay's secret crush and finally, Martha the Terribly-Lonely-Teenager. Iona's commute is no longer the same after she's known these group of people; she's learned more about themselves and give them advice should they need it. And through their friendship, Iona learn more about herself, too.

This is a heartwarming story about humans connection and friendship with a few life topics thrown in for some thoughts and drama. Iona was an interesting character and I enjoyed reading her inner thoughts. This story also shows us that our first perception of others may not always be true and that understanding and communication remain the key to a better relationship in every aspect. Charming and inspiring, I'd recommend this book to anyone and the more you should read it if you commute by public transport.

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Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Contemporary Fiction 8 comments |

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

Melody

Ballantine Books | 28 November 2023 | 304 pgs

Source: Library

Our protagonist, Molly Gray, was first introduced in The Maid in which we see her as a diligent and a meticulous individual who's not afraid to speak up her mind when circumstances arise, although some might portray her behaviours or her speech a little odd but this might be a sign of her being a neurodivergent, though it was not clearly specified.

In this book, Molly had promoted to Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel and she's living happily with her boyfriend, Juan Manuel, who's currently visiting his relatives in Mexico. Everything seems to be working well in Molly's life until J.D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, is found dead at the hotel's tea room prior to his big announcement during a press conference.

Detective Stark, who's in charge of the investigation, feels a sense of déjà vu considering there was a murder case at the hotel a while back. And as it happens, Molly is at the center of the predicament (just like the previous investigation) as Grimthorpe is later found to be poisoned by a cup of tea. Molly, who's perplexed and alarmed by the allegation, is determined to find out the truth and to unveil the identity of the murderer. But who'd it be? There're a few people in Molly's mind, including the new Maid-in-Training, the author’s secretary and even the hotel’s beloved doorman, who's considered to be a dear friend of Molly. Well, Molly has some secrets of her own too that revolved around her childhood days during her presence at the Grimthorpe mansion and she has to revisit the past memories for clues pertaining to the quirky and mysterious Mr Grimthorpe.

I enjoyed reading The Maid so I was thrilled to see Molly Gray's appearance in this latest book by Nita Prose. As much as I liked Molly as a character and reading about her working life and her past relationship with her grandmother, for some reason I couldn't find myself engaged in this book as much as compared to The Maid, although I enjoyed the backstory how she come to stay at the Grimthorpe mansion with her grandmother. I think my greatest disappointment was that the motive didn't deem strong and convincing enough; plus it seemed there wasn't enough actions surrounding the investigations and there're repetitiveness surrounding Molly's thoughts and her perceptions. That said, it was good seeing Molly Gray again and I hope a series is in order in the near future.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Mystery, Suspense 10 comments |

Top Ten Reads of 2023 | Random Musing

Melody

I didn't complete my Goodreads reading challenge in 2023. Only 45 out of 60 books read. Hopefully this year will be a better reading year for me. Also, I want to try to read more of the other genres (such as literary fiction, fantasy and/or romance) aside from suspense and thriller.

Here's my top ten favourites in no particular order. While some of the books didn't get a 5-star review, they left a deep impression on me.

- The One by John Marrs

- The Magistrate by Brian Klingborg

- The Patient's Secret by Loreth Anne White

- The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

- The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by Indian Holton

- The Couples Trip by Ulf Kvensler

- Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

- Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

- The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

- I'm Not Done with You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Honorable Mention:

- Everything’s Fine by Cecilia Rabess

So, the following question has got nothing to do with the above but simply out of curiosity. Do you mind a sad/bittersweet ending? (Especially in a romance?) Recently I watched a K-drama and while I don't usually get emotionally invested into them, this particular drama really left an impact on me (kept thinking about it for weeks; and listening to the OST didn't make it better). The plot wasn't new but it was realistic, inspiring and dealt with many topics which we often face in society and in real life (maybe that explains the realistic of that sad ending? But still...). The characters were flesh-out and relatable, too, and they were the ones that stood out the most in the story, in particularly the two leading characters. But that ending, sigh, just made me so sad just thinking about it. Dare I say the title and spoil the fun of you watching it? I suppose not. (I think anyone who watched this may have guessed it.) But it was such a good, beautiful story in my opinion (definitely a 5-star!), but I'm not sure if I want to rewatch it at some point and go through that emotional roller coaster again.