Gollancz | October 2019 | 480 pgs

Source: Purchased

Leigh Bardugo is a well-known author under the YA fantasy genre. This book is her adult debut and the story revolves around magic, ghosts, mysteries and secret societies mostly set at Yale University. 

Our heroine, Galaxy "Alex" Stern is an extraordinary character. She is raised by her mother single-handedly and dropped out of school early. Since young, she has the ability of seeing ghosts (or the "Grays" as referred in this story) and was cast as a misfit. The rejections and impressions from her peers led her to a state of self aversion; and this later pushed her towards the shady world of drugs. But bad things didn't stop there, she continued to encounter more dark and brutal incidents until she's given a chance to attend Yale, ironically thanks to her "special" ability. 

Yale has several secret societies and each of these eight Houses of the Veil has their own rules and regulations pertaining to their activities. The members are often yield as the future rich and powerful people; but some of the occult activities they perform might not be as simple as one thinks. The League of Lethe is formed as an oversight body for these societies' activities, monitoring the rites and practices of any societies trafficking in magic, divination or otherworldly discourse. Prior to entering Yale, Alex is assigned to a mysterious man named Darlington so as to learn some things about Lethe and the secret societies before becoming a Dante. 

But Alex's life continues to be a tough one. Now there's a dead girl on campus and Alex thinks there's more than meets the eye despite the police and campus administration's statement that her death is nothing more than her own bad misfortune. To find the truth, Alex made a pact with a Gray, and soon realise he has one mystery to unravel, too. 

Well, this book wasn't an easy read in all aspects (it's filled with many dark and some disturbing issues); and it's even harder to review as my feelings for this book is mixed. I liked the premise; and I thought the characters are intriguing but for some reason I just couldn't connect with Alex. Her life journey, especially her teenage years, was so dark and so sad. I think the main thing that got to me was the slow pacing and the world-building, though interesting, took me a while to get immersed into it. It was long and at times complicating and it was only towards the half of the book did things start to get a little more intriguing and tense but by then I couldn't wait to be done with the book. The ending left the reader with a longing for its sequel and I hope the next book will be better with a faster pace and more showing than telling.

Note: This is a scheduled post as I'm currently taking a short break off of blogging. Comments and blog-hopping will resume once I'm back from my break. Have fun and happy reading! 📚

G.P. Putnam's Sons | July 2019 | 438 pgs

Source: Purchased 

In this book, eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung arrives in Seoul with her mother for a new life. Being a gumiho forbids them to stay in the same place permanently and for years the two women have no qualm about their hunting life (preying on men on full moon so they could devour their energy in order to survive). Miyoung may have to feed to survive but she has her own rules when it comes to choosing her prey. Through the help of Nara, a young shaman, she captures criminals and the like through Nara's vision and although this doesn't make her less of a murderer, she feels she is doing a justice in some ways. 

On a particular full moon night, Ahn Jihoon brings his dog out for a walk and they end up deep in the forest. Jihoon's fear of the dark came true when he encounters a goblin. Just when he thought he'd not come out of the forest alive, a girl came to his rescue. She's none other than Miyoung. However, she'd violated the gumiho rules and lost her fox bead during the rescue. Without the fox bead in her body, her fox essence will deteriorate even though she's holding on to it. 

(Image Credit)

And as fate would have it, Miyoung is a newcomer in Jihoon's school and they're in the same class, too. Miyoung doesn't want to acknowledge him initially, but Jihoon is patient and persistent. He has no fear of this mysterious girl, despite he's heard stories about the mystical gumiho from his grandmother since young. It is no surprise their brief acquaintance became friendship, then a longing for companionship considering they're similar in a way - lack of parental love. However, as much as they're attracted to each other, it is clear that their love is doomed from the start. How could a gumiho and a human fall in love, given all their differences and not to mention a feud which already started decades ago?

There are so many things I loved about this book. The mythology, the characters (hands down, Jihoon is my favourite character among all), the plot and of course not to mention the banter between Miyoung and Jihoon. I also enjoyed the sections in between about the history of the gumiho and her journeys. There's a reason behind her coldness and ruthlessness and these information definitely add a few perspectives to this intriguing story (and I need to mention there's also a glossary list of some Korean words and their meanings at the end of the book for easy reference as the author input them into the story for a more authentic voice). Yes, I was sorry to see it end, but Lark and I had a fun time devouring and exchanging views about this book (and oh, there's a sequel coming in summer 2020! We'll definitely read this together then for our buddy read. Right, Lark? 😃). 

Finally, here's my answers to Lark's questions: 

Albert Whitman & Company | April 2019 | 416 pgs

Source: Library

Doctor Prisoner

Synopsis from DramaBeans: 

Doctor Prisoner centers around an ace doctor in a university hospital’s emergency care center, a skilled professional who treats his patients with full devotion and without discrimination. However, his medical license gets suspended as a result of a medical malpractice incident that arises when the hospital board director causes a ruckus. He then gets his certificate as a medical internist and applies to work at a prison, where his plan is to cozy up to all the bigshots there—business tycoons, celebrities caught for doing drugs, sports stars guilty of gambling—and to win allies, with the ultimate goal of getting revenge against the hospital that ousted him. To do so, he’ll get rid of the existing prison chief doctor and claim the spot for himself.

I don't know about you, but I think there's something about medical thriller that attracts us despite some scary facts or uncomfortable scenes that make us think about our bodies and how fragile life can be. I think one reason I love watching medical related dramas is how great a doctor is and seeing how they could save a person's live through their skillful hands and watching Doctor Prisoner allows me to see the passionate side of a doctor called Na Yi Je (starring Nam Goong Min) and his sense of justice when dealing with all kinds of despicable people and their conspiracies. There are so many baddies here that I lost count, and no one is to be trusted, including Dr Na himself since you don't know what he's thinking and what games he might be playing. I think one of the highlights is watching him "creating an illness" to one or two prisoners so they can request for acquittal to justify the few cases he's fighting against the baddies (yes, these group of people are more or less connected) and while it seems a bit far-fetched and doesn't sound morally reprehensible, I can see how his points come about from another perspective. Overall this was an exciting and an intriguing drama and I recommend it if you love a good thriller. (4.5 stars)

The Light in Your Eyes 

Synopsis from AJ at MyDramaList: 

A girl who can travel through time meets a man who lives a torpid life. Kim Hye Ja is a bright and positive 26-year-old woman who wishes to become an announcer. One day, she gains the ability to exploit time and from there, is involved in a complicated timeline as a 70-year-old. Lee Joon Ha is a man who wishes to become a reporter. He worked hard to reach his goal, but now throws away his time and lives lethargically. When the two opposites meet in a complicated time, a love story begins to unfold.

I've to say I didn't expect a romance time travel story would be that complicated (mind boggling to say the least) but you've to go in "blind" as you watch this. Do not read and analyse too much from the blurb(s) because it isn't what you're thinking in the first place. It is a slow-burn at times but the wait is worth it and will leave you gasping and muttering "What?" towards the end. I think this is my vaguest review I've ever written but I can say the message behind this is a thought-provoking one. (4 stars)

HarperCollins Publishers | January 2019 | 464 pgs

Source: Library 

Hodder & Stoughton | October 2018 | 160 pgs

Source: Library

This latest novella by Stephen King revolves around a man (who has an unknown mysterious condition) and his resolve in bringing a small town together despite the residents' prejudice and some differences. 

On surface, Scott Carey looks like any other ordinary man who has weight issue. But what other people wouldn't know is he's been losing weight constantly and no matter how heavy or light his clothings are, his weight always remains the same. What most terrifying (and worryingly) is, his weight will decline as the days go but his size will look the same. 

Scott consulted his neighbour, Bob Ellis, who's a retired doctor about his strange condition and the latter has absolutely no idea what it is. He suggested Scott to go for a thorough checkup but he refused, stating that he wouldn't want to be scrutinised like some weird creatures. Scott promises to monitor his condition though, but it seems his condition is not getting any better. 

Aside from this, Scott has issues with a lesbian couple next door whose dog regularly drops his business on his lawn. Missy and Deidre own a restaurant but business isn't that good. Scott has no problem with Missy, but Deidre is another matter. She is blunt and cold; and no matter how nicely Scott tells her about the dogs' problems, she appears defensive and the case remains unresolved. Scott also notices that the residents shun and avoid the couple like a plague and this gives him the thought that perhaps he can try to dismiss all this prejudice and unhappiness (including his own) considering his days to zero pound is nearing and he has nothing to lose anyway.  

Elevation was a short read yet it was moving and inspiring in a way. The story is simple and the characters are mostly one-dimensional (considering it's a novella) but the more I read, I felt a bit of connection with Scott. I felt his worry, his frustrations and his hopelessness with his condition, but I also felt his determination in wanting to change the mindset of the residents; including his own as well as the couple's opinion of him. Deidre was another interesting character; she may seemed like an annoying character from the start but I liked it that she doesn't care what others think of her, even when it seemed the whole community is going against her and her business suffered at one stage. Aside from the prejudice, there's a bit of political underlying tone but I thought they add some entertainment to the tension among the community. Overall, it was a quick read and though this is not King's best, it radiates a feel-good vibes without the heaviness of the respective topics. 

HarperCollins Publishers | October 2018 | 480 pgs

Source: Library

This first novel of the Crown of Shards fantasy series tells a story of a royal family dynamics, politics and conspiracies with the combinations of magic and a hint of romance. 

Lady Everleigh Blair lost her parents since young. Although she's seventeenth in line for the throne, her role in the royal court of Bellona is nothing but an assistant to the cook master. In their realm whereby one's magical power determines one's worth (i.e. magier, master and morph), Evie is considered the lowest since she's a mutt with no magical power. Her only strength is her enhanced sense of smell and the ability to be immuned of magic but no one knows of the latter since her late mother had warned her to keep it as a secret for her own good. 

Bellona is a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition so it is not uncommon for a woman to have battling skills. Evie is no warrior, but her cousin Vasilia, who's the crown princess, is a skilled warrior and once upon a time they were close with each other until Evie learnt that it was all a lie. Evie steers clear from her path thereafter, and Vasilia couldn't care less considering she has big plans ahead. Although Vasilia's mother, Queen Cordelia, intends to marry her off to the prince of Andvari for Bellona's benefits and further securing the ties between the two kingdoms; Vasilia, on the other end, has already planned to assassinate the Queen and take the throne by force. 

After the massacre, Evie escapes with the help of her secret immunity. For survival and a plan to avenge for the Bellona people, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. While the troupe perform to amuse, several of them are actually highly trained warriors. There, Evie met a few interesting people, in particularly Lucas Sullivan, a magier who seemed to have some secrets of his own. As she trains with the troupe, she soon learn more about the troupe leader, Serilda, who used to be the late Queen's royal guard and how the troupe came about. 

I was totally fascinated with the world building and the cast of characters in this book. Add in a dose of magic and some actions and I was hooked. There's nothing that I didn't love about this story; except that Evie may be too much of a risk taker at times. Then again, a warrior is one who shouldn't be afraid to take risks, especially if she has the best of heart for others. I also enjoyed the banter between Evie and Lucas; although there isn't much romantic chemistry between them, yet, I'm hoping to see there's some changes in the next installment, Protect the Prince.  

If you were given a second chance, would you change your life? 

Joo-Hyuk (starring Ji Sung) and Woo-Jin (starring Han Ji-Min) have been married for five years and have two young children. The working couple rarely makes time for each other as their life revolves around work and children, thus they lack communication and each is frustrate with the other due to stress and all. As a result, their marriage life suffers and at one point, Joo-Hyuk wonders if his life would be different if he had chosen a different path, especially after he has met Hye-Won (starring Kang Han-Na), his crush from his college days and she told him that she had liked him back then. 

But of course Joo-Hyuk couldn't do anything about his present life, until he helped a homeless man and he gave him two coins which were released in 2006. One night while driving home, Joo-Hyuk passed a toll road and after tossing one of the 2006 coins, he found himself travelled back in time to that year - the year when he was in college and how he first encountered Woo-Jin and helped her as a witness after she was molested in a public bus. And there begins their destiny. 

Remembering his unhappiness marriage life in the present time, Joo-Hyuk chose a different path when he travelled back to 2006. He ended up married to Hye-Won although he couldn't escape the fate that he is meeting Woo-Jin again, this time as his colleague. 

I enjoyed this story and thought it portrays a sharp observation on relationships (be it a couple or colleagues) and marriage life and it'd led me thinking about this saying - "the grass is always greener on the other side" and also "every family goes through its problems". Although we can't change the facts, we can change the interpretation of the facts, or better still adopt the following thinking:

So did Joo-Hyuk find his happiness in the end? Absolutely. And I liked how he worked hard to become a better person, after realising that life is about obstacles and challenges and overcoming them with his wit as well as his heart.